The Middle of Nowhere, Washington

Last weekend I took an impromptu trip North to catch the pre-opening day at Stevens Pass, which perhaps even more exciting meant going to Stevens Pass for the first time. Though I’ve driven past the sign for route 2 at least 100 times, I never made it east on that particular highway. We arrived in Skykomish well after dark, but it was pretty clear this town was awesome, in that, never wanna live here in a million years kinda way.

Haunted brothel? Ok!

We stayed at the only hotel in town, a classic joint with shared bathrooms and a cafe smelling of deep fryer attached. However, we were told the “best fried chicken in Washington” was actually available down the street at the OTHER restaurant in town. There we did find some delicious chicken, as well as most of the townspeople, a combination of snowboard-looking types and old people. Really old people. Needless to say, it was a wild night in Skykomish!

Derrek Lever is good at presses.

Stevens Pass opening was great, but you can read all about that here, so instead I’ll skip ahead to our jaunt to Leavenworth. The idea of Octoberfest in Washington’s only Bavarian Village SOUNDED amazing. The reality was much different, and if anything, all the ugly Americans really detracted from the beauty of this quaint little town. So we drank a beer, ate some schnitzel and got back on the road to Oregon. I think I’ll go back when it’s raining.